BEIJING China has lodged diplomatic representations with the United States over a planned meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama at the White House on Wednesday saying it would damage Chinese-U.S. ties, the Foreign Ministry said.

The Dalai Lama told Reuters on Monday that Obama was a "a long-time friend" whom he admired for his work to normalize relations with Cuba, and on Iran, and for his recent visits to former U.S. foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan.

Lu said the Dalai Lama was not a purely religious figure, but a political exile who has long used religion to conduct separatist and anti-China activities.

(Reporting By Michael Martina; Writing By Megha Rajagopalan; Editing by Robert Birsel)

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